Job Discussion Forums

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

Its not such a problem here, but where I lived in Mexico it was just easier to not wear short shorts, or revealing clothing. If I dressed suggestively, the amount of catcalls and other attention on the street was just ridiculous. Here I need to wear professional clothes to work, but so do the men. I don't feel that I am treated differently on the days when I don't do the full "suited and booted" thing, and there are different degrees of formality shown by both the male and female teachers.

However, I do have a rather unruly mass of hair (no, I'm not really orange and bald

) and like laughing a lot. Sometimes I feel that my students think this means I have less credibility as a teacher. I'm not about to stop being myself in class or out of it, but there are definitely students who judge me because of that aspect of my appearance.

Blue Jacket · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 20

This discussion is helpful for me. I plan to move to LA this year and will need to travel light so I must decide what to leave behind. I think that it is a bit of a shame that we have to concern ourselves with such trivial matters like this (trivial for me anyway). When I first started teaching I wore slacks, nice shirt and sometimes a tie. I stopped doing this after a while for a couple of reasons (despite what other teachers wore). My students were mostly uni students 18-23 and being more "casual" seemed to relax them. I also felt more relaxed and I didn't have to change clothes before going to work. Now I dress myself according to who I am going to meet. Here in Poland like most places you are judged on appearence by most people. In most cases the first impression is of utmost importance but I also have to follow up with professionalism. When I know someone well enough to have respect for them (professionally or any other way) it doesn't matter what clothes they have on I don't really take notice of it. If they aren't professonal it doesn't matter how nice they look. I think that most people are this way. (?)

From what I have read it seems as if I will need to dress at least in a "semi-professional" fashion in LA. (?)

Are any of you wearing suits to work?

Are any of you wearing jeans and casual shirts (untucked) to work?

In LA will I need to think about how I am dressed when I'm off work? If my students or other teachers see me walking down the street in old jeans and a t-shirt will this change their impression of me in some negative way?

Thanks.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

The men I work with wear suit trousers, tucked in shirt and a tie when they teach in companies. Teaching at the academy is fairly similar, but without the tie. Fridays we can wear jeans with a nice shirt, and Saturdays with the kids is pretty much anything, but usually jeans and a t-shirt.

Blue Jacket · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 20

Thanks for the info. Now I just have to figure out where I'm going, maybe I won't need my long johns.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:33 am Post subject:

If it's important to you, it may be worth investigating various standards of dress, and having that as a factor in your "where to go" decision.

Here in Quito, the standard is pretty formal. Honestly, it makes a good impression on me if people "dress right" for the interview. It saves me from worrying about whether or not they even brought appropriate work clothes with them. Jeans in the workplace are a definite no, as are any sportswear, and anything with anything printed on it.

I once interviewed a brilliant teacher who I couldn't hire, as he hadn't brought "work" clothes with him. (And at 6 feet, 5 inches tall, he sure wasn't going to find them cheap here. At that height, the only option is to have them made.)

Blue Jacket · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 20

Justin mentioned the man that was 6'5" tall and the difficulties with finding clothes. (sorry, I haven't figured out how to put your quotes here yet)

At what height does it become a problem? I'm about 6'2".

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

MELEE · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:39 pm Post subject:

Wow, page two and I haven't posted? Laughing

While Latin American is across the board more formal than most of Non-Latin America, not all of Latin America is. My town is not at all formal. We live in the mountains, its rarely over 30 degrees and almost never humid (even in the rainy season). The dress code at work says no shorts for men (but aparently if you have a PhD, you can wear pretty much anything you like) and women can wear shorts if they are those dressy split skirt kind. And no torn or otherwise sloppy clothing. Sandals are okay for either sex, as a jeans.
Outside of work, the town is pretty laid back. The first time I went to a wedding here, the dress I worn was way more formal than the bride's. Embarassed

Most of the men will wear their "new jeans" and an ironed shirt to weddings. Of course the upper class is more formal, but I don't rub shoulders with them.

The moral of the story?
IF you know where you are going in advance, contact them and ask what type of clothes to pack. IF you don't know where you will end up, error on the side of more formal.

As for what make big and tall, I say anything over 5'6" for females, and 5'10" and any US shoe size larger than 9 for either sex.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 7:14 pm Post subject:

I'm five nine, and friends here describe me as "tall." Mostly, I can shop off the rack, but sometimes it takes a little looking around. At six two, in Ecuador at least, finding clothes will be possible, but a hassle.

I wear a size 10 and a half (US) in shoes, and they're hard to find.

An interesting Ecuadorian clothes shopping quirk is that not having your size won't stop them from trying to sell you things. I recently had a converstion with a shoe salesman who tried to convince me that I should buy a (quite lovely, by the way) pair of brazilian leather loafers. (Hand stitched, burgundy.) He spent a long time, clinging to my arm, explaning how well made they were...but the largest size he had was a 9. What am I supposed to do with them, hang them on the wall?

A friend of mine, who is somewhat ample in the bosom, was trying to find a swimsuit, and entered a store that appeared to stock only for anorexic nine year olds. The salesperson told her that if she swam a lot, she would lose weight, and then the swimsuits wouldn't seem so small. Shocked

It's a funny country!

Justin